Analyzing the Short-term and Long-term Effects of the Free-Semester Program on Career Maturity

This study aimed to analyze the short-term and long-term effects of the free-semester program on career maturity. For this purpose, this study conducted fixed-effects and difference-in-differences analyses along with descriptive analyses using second- through eighth-wave data from the Korean Education Longitudinal Study (KELS). The results of the descriptive statistics analysis showed that in elementary school, the career maturity of the group who had not experienced a free-semester program was higher. However, from the first year of middle school, the career maturity of the group who had experienced a free-semester program tended to increase. The difference between the two groups, however, decreased in high school. The fixed-effects and the difference-in-differences analyses showed that the effect of the free-semester program on career maturity was significant in middle school but not in high school. This confirms that the short-term effect of the free-semester program is positive, but the long-term effect is insignificant. Based on the above findings, this study recommends reconsidering the timing of the free-semester program or implementing additional career programs in high school.